Automatic gate for elevators



(No Model.) v

B, G. VANDUZEN.

' AUTOMATIC GATE'FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 258,827. Patented Ma -30', 1882.

" guard for elevator-hatchways which shall be I automatically opened and 'closed by the elevator in its passage either up or down. thef hatchway; and the principal feature t my invention consists in a novel mechanism tihere- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BENJAMIN O. VANDUZEN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,827, dated May 30, 1882.

Application filed September 5, 1881. (No model.) v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN O. VAN- DUZEN, of, the city of Cincinnati, county of lowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a by this object is accomplished.

Various subordinate features will be obvious i from the following description.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents my invention as applied to a gate, one end of which is pivoted at one side of the hatch, the other end being free to rise, the gate in this figure being represented as closed. Fig. 2 represents the same devices shown in Fig. l,the gate being opened. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents m invention as applied to a gate which slides vertically in appropriate ways. 7 Fig. 5 is a detached view, showing the preferred form of device by the operation of which the elevator is enabled to pass the gate, when so desired, on any floor without raising it.

Ais the platform of the elevator, and A the vertical posts by which'the platform is suspended.

B represents the guideways, situated at either side of the elevator-shaft.

To the upright A, at one side ot'the elevator, is attached the plate a, in a manner to be hereinafter described. The edge of this plate projects slightly beyond the face of the upright A. A shaft, 0, isjournaled at one end'in abear- ,l ing, 1)., attached to the guideway B near the floor, the other end of the shaft 0 beingjournaled in the post 0. To this shaft 0, and near the guideway B, is secured a friction-wheel, D, the position of this Wheel on the shaft being such that the plane of its revolution will be in a line with the plate a, so that as the elevator passes up and down the edge of the plate a will come in contact with the periphery of the Wheel D, the friction between the plate and wheel causing the latter to revolve. The length of the plate a is just equal to the circumference of the wheel'D, so that the latter will be causedv to turn only once around as the elevator carrying the plate a passes up or'down.

To the end of the shaft 0 which is on the outer side of the post C is secured the wheel D, from the outer face of which projects the crank-pin d. To the upper end of the post 0 is pivoted one end of the gate E, the other end of which rests in a support,-G at the opposite side of the hatchway. A rod, d, is connected-atone end to-the crank-pin don the wheel D, the other end of said rod being connected at d toIthe upper bar of the gate E. The gate E is preferably provided with the usual counterbalance-weight E.

Suppose. now,theelevator-platform A to be below the floorupon which it is desired to land,

the gate E remains closed until the elevatorin ascending brings the end of the plate aincontact with the wheelD, as shownin Fig. 1. The elevator now continuing to ascend, the friction between the plated and the periphery of thefwheelD causes the latter to revolve, and by this means the shaft 0 and wheel D are causedto revolve, carryin g the crank-pin d to the upper side of the wheel D, and the rodd is thus raisedywhich in i turn elevates the free end of the gate E until the various platform .oftheelevator being on a level with parts occupy the position shown in Fig.2, the

the floor. The plate a is so situated that" when the platform of thejelevator is on a level with the flo'or the center of the plate will'be opposite to the center ofthe wheel D, as shown in Fig. 2. 0 either up or down, it matters not which, the .wheel D is'caused to revolve, and the crankpin'd is carried around to the-lowerside of the As soon,'now, as the elevator "starts wheel, and the freefend ot' the gate is thus caused to descend until it rests in the support 0 by which time the end of the plate a will have reacheda point opposite the center of the wheel D, and a further. movement of the elevator will .free the plate frouicontact with the friction-wheel, and the gate will remain at rest until the plate a again comes in contact with the wheel'D.-

The length of the plate a and the circumference of the wheel D are preferably such that the gate will remain at rest until the platform of the elevator reaches a point about eighteen inches from the floor; but this arrangement, as will readily be seen, may be varied at the will of the builder.

The gate E may consist of a single bar, or be constructed upon the principle shown in the drawings, in which a lower rail, e, is employed, which rail is suspended from the upper or main bar by a number of connectingstrips in such a manner that when the gate is elevated it will fold up, as shown in Fig. 2.

When for any reason it is preferable to employ a gate which shall slide up and down, I preferably employ the arrangement shown in Fig. 4.

To the top of the gate F is connected one end ofa steel or iron ribbon,f, the other end of which, after passing over the pulley f, is wound onto the drum F, which is supported by suitable bearings. To one end of the drum F is connected the toothed wheel G, which is of considerably less diameter than the drum, and over this wheel passes the drive-chain G, one end being connected to the crank-pin don the wheel D, the other end of said chain being providedwith a weight, g, for the purpose of keeping the chain tight.

When the gate F is closed the crank-pin d is at the top of the wheel D, and when the plate a comes in contact with the wheel D as the elevator ascends or descends the wheel is caused to revolve, carrying the crank-pin to the bottom, which,by means of the drive-chain G and toothed wheel G, causes the drum F to revolve, and the ribbon f is wound on the drum, and the gate F is thereby elevated. When the platform -of the elevator leaves the floor the wheel D revolves, carrying the crankpin d towards the top, and the gate F, by its own weight, gradually descends.

Instead of the ribbonf, a cord may be employed, it preferred; but I prefer the ribbon.

To permit the elevator to pass a certain floor without interfering with the gate on saidfloor, various devices may be employed but the device which I prefer is that shown in the drawings.

The plate a is secured to the upright A by means of the oblique slots h and pins h in such a manner that when the plate is raised slightly it will also be moved slightly toward the center of the elevator, so that as the elevator passes up and down the edge of the plate will not come in contact with the periphery of the wheel D, and thus the elevator-gate is not interfered with. To elevate this plate a, 1 employ the knuckle-joint H, the lower member of which is connected to the top of the plate a, and the upper member of which is connected to the side of the upright A. The upper member is provided with the weighted lever I, extending toward the center of the elevator, the tendency of which lever is to keep the two members of the knuckle-joint H in a line with each other,and when these two members are thus in a line with each other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plate a cannot be raised, and the edge of the plate will therefore come in contact with the wheel D. If now it is desired to pass a gate on any floor, the person on the elevator lifts up on the lever I, and the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 5, the plate a being raised up and moved away from the wheel D. The lever I is held in this position until the plate a has passed the wheel D, when it is released and by its own weight falls down, thus restoring the various parts to their former position.

It may be here remarked that it matters not which way the elevator moves, the operation upon the gate will be the same,as will be readilyunderstood from the drawings and the foregoing description.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of an elevator provided with the plate a,i'riction-wheel D, attached to shaft 0, crank D d, connecting-rod d, and the gate E, one end of the connecting-rod d being connected to the crank and the other to the gate, substantially as described.

2. The-combination of the gate E, frictionwheel D, and connecting and operating mechanism, and the plate a, adjustably attached to the elevator, and capable of being adjusted to impinge against the friction-wheel D or pass it without coming in contact therewith as the elevator passes up or down, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of the upright post A of an elevator, the plate a, provided with the oblique slots h, which en gage with the pins h, proj eetin g from said upright post, the knucklejoint H, friction-wheel D, and the gate E, and connecting and operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of the friction-wheel D and plate 01, provided with oblique notches h, which engage with pins h, projeetin g from the upright A, and the knuckle-joint H, thelower member of said joint being attached to the plate a and-the upper member to the upright A, said upper member being provided with the weighted lever I, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

BENJAMIN G. VANDUZEN.

Vitnesses:

A. S. LUnLoW, E. R; HILL.

ICO 

